Week 14 - Capital Kick-Off

candylandriots

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For those who have ESPN+, this weekend starts in Berlin as Union hosts Gio Reyna and Dortmund. Dortmund is starting a 16-year old CF.

And here’s Nina Hagen for Union.

Edit: Apparently Moukoko (filling in for Haaland) is the youngest player in the Bundesliga (history maybe?)
 

candylandriots

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And if you had told me that Union would be playing against Dortmund for a European placement at the end of 2020, I might have had to consider the entire 2020 package haha.
 

Jimy Hendrix

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Dortmund look sleepy and there for the taking, but the quality is obvious if they do turn it on.
 

Morgan's Magic Snowplow

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The Moukoko kid has apparently been an absolute goal machine at youth level. Its crazy that they could lose Haaland and just replace him with another elite teenage striking prospect.

That is a really difficult finish, going high to the near post when running onto the ball at that angle. And on his left foot (no idea whether that is his strong or weak foot).

View: https://twitter.com/chrisboron/status/1340038561609990145
 

candylandriots

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Wow...super excited for this team. They have been so much better than I could have dreamed this year.

As excited as I am, I am really, REALLY regretting not getting season tickets two years ago.
 

Jimy Hendrix

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As someone who wound up following Spurs after his brief, Brede Hangelund induced Crystal Palace-curious phase, this felt like watching a Poch Spurs team having a terrible day against a Mourinho Spurs team playing perfectly.

The defensive commitment was really something to see.
 

candylandriots

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As someone who wound up following Spurs after his brief, Brede Hangelund induced Crystal Palace-curious phase, this felt like watching a Poch Spurs team having a terrible day against a Mourinho Spurs team playing perfectly.

The defensive commitment was really something to see.
Brede Hangeland? Brede Hangeland? And I felt weird when @OCST was surprised that Yannick Bolasie was my favorite player.

Edit: the best story about BH - https://www.espn.com/soccer/blog/the-toe-poke/65/post/2629457/crystal-palace-defender-brede-hangeland-takes-the-train
 

Jimy Hendrix

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I was young and confused and had only just started watching club soccer in earnest after the 2014 World Cup. He scored in the season opener against Arsenal. It was a nice header and he was very tall.
 

OCST

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Brede Hangeland? Brede Hangeland? And I felt weird when @OCST was surprised that Yannick Bolasie was my favorite player.

Edit: the best story about BH - https://www.espn.com/soccer/blog/the-toe-poke/65/post/2629457/crystal-palace-defender-brede-hangeland-takes-the-train
Bolasie was a terror before he got hurt. In his best season with Everton, the one that was cut short, he was joint-top with Lukaku in the average 1-10 rankings and MOTM shouts from the Liverpool Echo for the whole squad. They were a great attacking combo. Never the same after his injury.
 

candylandriots

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Bolasie was a terror before he got hurt. In his best season with Everton, the one that was cut short, he was joint-top with Lukaku in the average 1-10 rankings and MOTM shouts from the Liverpool Echo for the whole squad. They were a great attacking combo. Never the same after his injury.
Yeah, the league is definitely a lesser one without him and I was rooting for him to be as great for Everton as he was for Palace (for longer than he was). It’s a such a shame that he ended up where he did, especially because he was so fun to watch. (Another-or the main?- reason Everton is my #2 team in the EPL.)
 

SocrManiac

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I don’t know how long the NBCSN Christmas carol commercial was, but it felt like years. God that was unfunny and awful.
 

PedroSpecialK

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Way too early in the morning to be split screening... Persepolis / Ulsan in the AFC CL Final with a 30 min head start on Liverpool/Palace
 

SocrManiac

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Benteke is suspended.

The kit choice would probably be fine if they weren’t all effectively silhouetted in the Liverpool attacking half.
 

Section30

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Fabinho executes the professional fouls so calmly he gets away with them more often than he should. This is admiration not censure.